Hai Tanahku Papua is an unofficial anthem of West Papua.

History

The anthem was composed by the Dutch

Dutch people

The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...

 missionary

Missionary

A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...

  Rev. Izaak Samuel Kijne during the 1930s.

After the Dutch supervised election of a regional parliament, the Nieuw Guinea Raad, a group was formed on the 19th October 1961 to elect a national committee. The committee drafted a Manifesto for Independence & Self-government, a national flag (the Morning Star Flag

Flag of West Papua

The Morning Star flag was a flag used in a supplemental fashion on Netherlands New Guinea to the Flag of the Netherlands...

), state seal, selected "Hai Tanahku Papua" as a national anthem, and called for the people to be known as Papuans. The New Guinea Council voted unanimously in favour of these proposals on 30 October 1961, and on the 31st October 1961 presented the Morning Star flag and Manifesto to Governor Platteel. The Dutch recognized the flag and anthem on November 18, 1961 (Government Gazettes of Dutch New Guinea Nos. 68 and 69), and these ordinances came into effect on December 1, 1961. The anthem went out of public use after the military occupation of West Papua by the Indonesian Military in 1963.

Current status

The anthem is currently a prominent symbol of independence activists, including Organisasi Papua Merdeka (Free Papua Movement), and use of the anthem within the province is prohibited. The song has also been proposed as a symbol of Papua province.

Old Indonesian spelling

Hai tanah ku Papoea,

Kau tanah lahirku,

Ku kasih akan dikau

sehingga adjalku.

Kukasih pasir putih

Dipantaimu senang

Dimana Lautan biru

Berkilat dalam trang.

Kukasih gunung-gunung

Besar mulialah

Dan awan jang melajang

Keliling puntjaknja.

Kukasih dikau tanah

Jang dengan buahmu

Membajar keradjinan

Dan pekerdjaanku.

Kukasih bunji ombak

Jang pukul pantaimu

Njanjian jang selalu

Senangkan hatiku.

Kukasih hutan-hutan

Selimut tanahku

Kusuka mengembara

Dibawah naungmu.

Sjukur bagimu, Tuhan,

Kau brikan tanahku

Bri aku radjin djuga

Sampaikan maksudMu.

New Indonesian spelling

Hai tanah ku Papua,

Kau tanah lahirku,

Ku kasih akan dikau

sehingga ajalku.

Kukasih pasir putih

Dipantaimu senang

Dimana Lautan biru

Berkilat dalam terang.

Kukasih gunung-gunung

Besar mulialah

Dan awan yang melayang

Keliling puncaknja.

Kukasih dikau tanah

Yang dengan buahmu

Membayar kerajinan

Dan pekerjaanku.

Kukasih bunyi ombak

Yang pukul pantaimu

Nyanyian yang selalu

Senangkan hatiku.

Kukasih hutan-hutan

Selimut tanahku

Kusuka mengembara

Dibawah naungmu.

Syukur bagimu, Tuhan,

Kau berikan tanahku

Beri aku rajin juga

Sampaikan maksudMu.

Dutch words

1

O mijn land Papoea

Mijn geboorteland

Jou zal ik liefhebben

Tot mijn levenseinde

2

Ik hou van het wittezand

Van je fijne stranden

Waar de blauwe oceaan

Blinkt in het licht

3

Ik hou van het geluid van de branding

Die op je stranden slaat

Een lied dat steeds

Mijn hart verheught

4

Ik hou van de bergen

Groot en verheven

En de wolken die zweven

Om hun toppen

5

Ik hou van de bossen

Het dekkleed van mijn land

Ik mag zo graag zwerven

Onder je schaduw

6

Ik hou van jegrond

Die met je vruchten

Mijn ijver betaalt

En mijn werk

7

Dan zij u Heer

Gij hebt mij het land gegeven

Laat mij ook ijverig zijn

Om het laten beantwoorden aan Uw doel

External links

• Hai Tanahku Papua, with lyrics and music file